Since TSW3 is getting the Birmingham cross city line on the 15th of November... why not do the Tyne & Wear Metro light transit system.. 60 station, iconic bridges & viaducts, 48 miles/ 78km of track passing through the likes of Newcastle city centre (underground), Tynemouth & Whitley Bay, Sunderland & out to Newcastle international airport
I've been wanting to see this since I first started playing. Some really iconic stations, Tynemouth Station Market would make a reasonable mastery reward, good options for match day services as scenarios, etc. A mod should move this to suggestions though.
A definite yes from me, not enough northern routes on TSW. And with the new Metro trains coming next year!
it would also double up nicely with a York-Newcastle route for asset reuse when it comes to the scenery across the Tyne, and you could have each route's trains layer into the other, with the metro visible from ECML crossing the QEII bridge, and vice versa for east coast trains crossing the King Edward and High Level bridges.
There's an extensive post advocating just this somewhere IIRC. The Metro is an interesting mix of the new (well newish- the central section is over 40 years old now) and old using former NER stations and suburban lines. Arguably a bit one note with everything being a stopping passenger train using one class of EMU but one could add maintenance and inspection vehicles for variety.
The Sunderland line from Pelaw through to Sunderland Station is Network Rail track so you could have some DMU passenger and Freight (going to Port of Tyne) AI trains.
I don't like them. I always sit in the front seats for the view if I can (Usually easy as my station is at the end of the line) and when I can't, I appreciate the spacious nature of the old ones with their variety of seating.
